Venetian blind



s P 1947- GLEWING I? 2,427,266

VENETIAN BLIND Filed Dec. 6, 1945 2 Sheets Sheet 1 WW5 W? lilHlE Zar fizZZfzazW,

Sept. 9, .1947. wmc; 2,427,266

' VENETIAN. BLIND Filed Dec. 6, 1945 2 sheets-sheet- 2 Patented Sept. Q, 1947 1.. i This inventionrelates. to a venetian blind. More specifically it relates to.a @Venetiaa bIind-I in which the slats a-re arbitrarily divided into upper andlewersections which sections; are 1 relatively adjustable to open-or closed positions. v

In Venetiam blindsas at presentconstr-ucted, all of the slats are simultaneously adjustable bytiltacordst Operationaotthese cord's.causesall -of the slats to be simultaneously, moved to- 2 open; patti-allyx. open-,1 or closed-position There are. times; howevergrwhen =it= isrdesirableeto -havethe lower section, ofethe-slatsaclosed while the upper section; remains-open and-vice versa: instancqn-in thet-latza morning or early aiternoon it be;desi-rablatmcloseom the brilliant sunlight} through the upper sashr oi the; windew' while maintaining1 light andlventilation through the lower sash conversely onedyingt; in bed or dis-robinge may desire not thebet-exposedeto ex terior viewsthroughathealowes -sashwhile atflthe: same time to have light andaventilation through the upper sash. V a V leis-therefore: an object o-. the present-dr ven time to 2 provide aavenetianblind int. which; the slats-of? the? upperv and lower sectionsare relaw tivelyzadjustab-lm Another object of:- tlfie present iny-entionis. to provide avenetian blind adjustable in sectiens in which the sectional adjustment meanscam-be useddnooniunction withthelconwentionateelevating and adei usting; mechanisms. forthe entire blind-iwithout anst modification of thaformenand with n-lyS1ight m0difi6a$iQB oirthe=lattera I A-icorollartt.object of thespresent-:inventiomise to. provide; an operatingd deviceparticularlyadaptedfor use in conjunctionwithethe sectional:- tilting means oathe inventiom Still other? objects-and i-adi antag eseof ther in-vvention-will-becomeapparentfrom IERdiHEfiOf the followingrdescriptionins connectiomwith-the ace companying drawingsvinmwhiehzf Fig. 1 is a side elevation view-of .a--Venetian blind embodyingethe present inventiom:

Figs-2-isa sectionaltviews takemon t-he sectionliner. z:--z of Fig: li'showingethh elevating cards; 4

Siemens: (o1. Itt iit) Fig fli a-view-'similar to Fig; 3'; butshowin'e'amodified operating. device for the sectionaltiltin means otthe present invention mounted" on" the head casing; and 7 a i Fig.- 6 is asideele-vation viewof the structure shown in Fig. 5. A I

Referring now' to the drawings and to Fig; 1 imparticular, the-ordinary Venetian blind is support-ed from-a;head-casing Ill; which casing encloses the elevatingand tilting mechanisms.- The head casing consists of a top plate II, side platesql2-'l 2; end p1ate s I3'-I3, and a bottom platel tall secured tbgetherin any suitable manner as by screws (not shown)- or spot welding. The blind itself con-sists of aplurality of vertically, spaced-slats l9 spaced apart a distance approximately equalrto'the width ofthe slats.- A bcttom rail 211-: isrpositioned in parallel relationshipwiththe lowermost slat Ill. The slats I S and: the bottom rail; 0 are supported by' ladder tapes 2 l2l. Preferably the ladder tapes 2 I -2 lare=looped--web memberswith the sides'of each tneibwerseetiairor thesiats izropenpbsitidnanai Icon 'extending downwardly along the outside andinside edges;respectivelya of-theslats l9 and-the endwof the-sides-being. attached-to the bottom rail-2 0i suitable; manner,- as by stapling The indiv-idu-al slats I-9- aresupported on rungs? or crosswebs-2;2 whicharesecui ed at their ends in--.any suitablemanner; as'by" stitching, to thesides': of; the sladder tapes 212'l'. It is" conven tiena L-in the art-to-po'sition one butt end of each cross web -member- 22' directed upwardly; and-the- The opposite:- butt end "'directed' downwardly. 1adder -tapes-2l--2 -l prevent the slats [9 fromtovfrom the'la'dder'tapes fortilting: the slats, as will be-later described;

through sulitable apertures" It) in-the bottom plate: I 4- of the 'headcasing- I 0; and the" loopedupper end-s of thesetapes pass arcuately over longitudinallyspaced drums 1 23-23- inside the head -casing; I0; the tapes being secured to the- 5 drums along-the arcs of contact in any suitable manner. lithe drumsyare'made of wood; the

tapes may-besecured'thereto byatacking; The drums 23-43 aremounted on along-itudinally extending shaf-t .24 which is jour naled in hang?- ers.-25--25;;these hangers being mounted on the bottom plate M of the headcasing It! in anysuitable manneia as by bolts or screws (not shown)"; At the left end as shown in Fig. lj

worm/wheel 26 is mounted' on the shaft 24: A warm geaf'flis' in mesh with the worm wheel 26, ,the latter being mounted on, or formedin' wheel 26, shaft 24, and, drums,\23-23 will be rotated to lift the inner side of the ladder tapes 2I-2I to tilt the slats I9 from the open position of Fig. 1, to closed position. Conversely, by

pulling on the cord 3i the components of this i mechanism will be rotated in the opposite direce tion and the outer side of the ladder tapes 2 I2I will be raised and the inner sides of these ladder tapes lowered to shift the slats I9 from the closed back to the open position of Fig. 1. It is well known in the art to provide friction braking means for the pulley 29, shaft 28, or shaft 24, so that the slats I9 will remainin the set position until it is again desired to shift the same. However, it is also well known in the machine art that, if the threads on a worm wheel and a worm gear are cut at a certain pitch, the worm wheel will not transmit motion to the worm gear.

The above described tilting mechanism for the entire slat structure forms no part of the present invention and for this reason several details of the same have been omitted.

The elevating cords 3233 are the sides of a single looped cord. These cords pass downwardly through centrally positioned. apertures 34-34 in the slats I 9 and the bottom rail 20, the

cord 32 being aligned Centrally, as shown in Fig.

1, with the left ladder tape 2I and the cord 33 being aligned centrally with the right ladder tape2I. These cords terminate in knots 35 in countersunk recesses 35 in the bottom rail 29. The cords pass through the same apertures I5I 5 in the bottom plate I4 of the head casing Ill, and thence; over pulleys 31 aligned transversely with .the ladder tapes. 2I-2I, respectively. The pulleys 31-31 are journalled on shafts 38 which are'mounted on brackets 39, the latter being secured to the bottom plate I4 of the head casing in any suitable manner, as by bolts or screws (not shown). At the right end (Fig. 1) of the head casing I8 both cords pass over a third pulley 31, and thence downwardly through an aperture in the' bottom plate I4 of the head casing.

A locking means for the cords 3233 is provided in the form of a locking cam 49, pivoted at 4| to the inner side plate I2 of the head casing i adjacent to the right pulley 31. This looking cam has a proportionately increasing radius in the counterclockwise direction. As the elevating cords 32-33 are pulled vertically down-- w-ardly to elevate the slats I9 and the bottom rail 29, the locking cam 49 will be swung in the counter-clockwise direction, the cords passing freely between the pulley 31 and the locking cam. When it is desired to set the slats I9 in a given position, the elevating cords 3233 are swung to the right (Fig. 1), and slight downward movement of the slats and consequent reverse movement of the cords will cause the latter to pick up the locking cam 40 and the cord will become wedged between the pulley 31 and thelocking cam.

The sectional tilting cords of the present invention comp-rise two cords 42 and 43. These cords likewise pass downwardly through the same apertures I5I5 in the bottom plate I4 of the head casing as the ladder tapes 2I2I and the elevating cords 32-33, and are positioned adjacent to the inner sides of the ladder tapes 2I2I, the cord 42 extending along the left ladder tape (Fig, v1) and thev cord 43 along the right laddertape. I At theirlower ends; the cords 42 and 43 are attached to the respective ladder This attachment may be made in any one of several ways. Knots may be formed in the. lower ends of the cords and the cords passed through eyelets, loops, or rings attached to the ladder tapes 2I by stitching. Preferably the attachment is by fittings 44, which may be readily attached and removed so that the ratio of the numbers of slats in the upper and lower sections of the blind may be changed at anytime. At spaced intervals along the upper sections of the ladder tapes'2I-2I, thereare secured to the tapes guide members 45 for the cords 42-43. The guide members 45 may be loops stitched to the ladder tapes or eyelets or'rings of metal or plastic composition material, also stitched to the ladder'tapes.

The'upper ends of the cords 42 and 43 are each attached to the top plate I I of the head casing II) as indicated at 45. Prior to their point of attachment, the cords 42 and 43 are passed over pulleys 4'I--4'I. The pulleys are carried on an actuating bar 48 as by arms 49-49, of which one is shown, fixed to the bar 48. The bar 48 may be 5 considered to have a generally triangular apex of the triangle are the pivot members 50-59 which pivotally support the bar on the top plate I I. The third apex of the triangle is the eye 5| which carries a drawcord 52 at its lower end at a suitable button 53 for retaining v the lower-slats at any suitable adjustable position. Obviously, by proportioning the triangular cross-section of the actuating barin a suitable manner a great amount of lift may be imparted to the cords 42 and 43 for a relatively small motion of" cord 52, I

'In-Figs. 6 and '7 there is shown-a modified form of operating means for the sectional tilting cords 42-43. A- lever in the form-of a hinged plate 54 is attached-to the top plate II of the head casing- I0 by hinges 55-55.' The sectional tilting cords 42-43 are attached to the outer edge of the plate 49 at 56-51, respectively. A crank or arm 58 is attached by bolts or screws (not shown) to thehinged plate 54 near the outer-edge of the latter and at approximately the center of same longitudinally 'A" cord 59 is secured in a suitable eyelet in'the'outer end of the arm 58 and depends downwardly. l

The operation of the Venetian blind of the present invention is as follows: As previously stated; the-main tilting cord 30 may be pulled to rotate the .pulley 29; shaft 28,'worm 2'I, worm wheel 26, shaft .24,'and drums 23-23 to raise theinnerladder tape 2| and lower the outer ladder tape thus tilting the slats I9 from the open position'of Fig, 1 to the, closed position; conversely, the main tilting cord 3| may be pulled to rotate the pulley 29, shaft 28, worm gear. 21,

worm wheel 26, shaft 24, and drums 23,23 in the reversedirection to lower the innerladder tape. 2| andraise the, outer laddertape and thereby tilt the slats I9 back from the closed position to the open position of Fig. 1. It has been pointed out above that no braking or locking means is necessary for the pulley 29 or associated rotatable parts in order to hold the slats l9 in the desired angular position if the pitch of the threads on the worm shell 26 and the worm gear 21 is properly selected.

Likewise, the elevating cords 32--33 may be operated to raise all of the slats I9 and the bottom rail 20, the bottom rail first moving against the lowermost slat l9 and that slat against the next, etc., and the ladder tapes 2I-2l collapsing in well known accordion fashion. As long as the cords 32-33 are pulled downward vertically or released for upward movement vertically, as the case may be, they will slide past the locking cam 40. However if the cords are swung to the right (Figs. 1 and 3), they will pick up the locking cam and become wedged between the locking cam and the right pulley 31.

Assuming that the blind is in fully extended position and that the slats are tilted to the horizontal or open position, as shown in Fig. 1, and it is desired to tilt the slats in the lower section of the blind to closed position, the draw cord 52 is pulled a distance sufiicient to close the lower slats. This through the actuating bar 48 lifts the cords 4243 and the slats below the fittings 44-44, where the cords are attached to the ladder tapes 2 l-2I, are tilted through an angle the half cord of which is equal to the amount of lift of the cords 42-43. This action results in all of the slats in the section below the fittings 44-144 being tilted and the bottom rail 20 being likewise tilted, while the slats in the upper section above these fittings remain in their horizontal or open position, as shown in Fig, 3. It is therefore obvious that by the use of the invention the slats in the lower section of the blind may be shifted to the desired closed position while the slats in the upper section remain in horizontal or open position, thus permitting unobstructed ventilation and admission of light over this section of the window.

If now it be desired to shift the slats [9 in the upper section of the blind to closed position while allowing those in the lower section to remain in open position, the main tilting cords 3U-3I are first operated to shift all of the slats to the closed position. Then, by pulling on the sectional tilting cords 4243 the slats in the lower section of the blind, below the fittings 44-44, may be shifted to horizontal or open position, while those in the upper section remain in the closed position, as shown in Fig. 4. This result is accomplished by pulling on the sectional tilting cords 42-43, through the bar 48 and cord 52, which causes the ladder tapes 2|-2l to raise the inner edges of the slats in the lower section of the blind from their fully closed position to the horizontal or open position. The upward movement of the sectional tilting cords 4243 results in a crimping of the ladder tapes 2l-2l at and above the fittings 44--44 while the cords 42-43 slide through the guides 45 on the ladder tapes 2 l-2 l While there is here shown and described a certain preferred embodiment of the invention, many other and varied forms and uses will present themselves to those versed in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention, and the invention, therefore, is not limited either in structure or in use except as indicated by the terms and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1, In a Venetian blind, a support, a plurality of vertically spaced slats, ladder tapes dependent from said support and supporting said slats, tilting means for all of the slats, and auxiliary tilting cord means for a section of said slats, said auxiliary tilting means comprising cords attached to the ladder tapes, means for operating said auxiliary cords comprising a lever mounted 1ongitudinally on said support, and means on said lever member for operating said auxiliary cords.

2. In a Venetian blind, a support, a plurality of vertically spaced slats, ladder tapes dependent fromsaid support and supporting said slats, tilting means for all of the slats, and auxiliary tilting cord means for a section of said slats, said auxiliary tilting means comprising cords attached to the ladder tapes, means for operating said auxiliary cords comprising the lever pivotally mounted longitudinally on said support, said leve-r having a generally triangular cross section, and means attached to one of the apexes of the triangle for operating the auxiliary cords.

3. In a Venetian blind, a support, a plurality of vertically spaced slats, ladder tapes dependent from said support and supporting said slats, tilting means for all of the slats, and auxiliary tilting cord means for a section of said slats, said auxiliary tilting means comprising cords attached to the ladder tapes, means for operating said auxiliary cords comprising a lever mounted longitudinally on said support, said lever having a generally triangular cross section, pivot means attached to said support and to one of the apexes of the'triangle, and means attached to another apex of the triangle for operating said lever and auxiliary cords.

4. In a Venetian blind, a support, a plurality of verticall spaced slats, ladder tapes dependent from said support and supporting said slats, tilting means for all of the slats, and auxiliary tilting cord means for a section of said slats, said auxiliary tilting means comprising cords attached to the ladder tapes, means for operating said auxiliary cords comprising a lever mounted longitudinally on said support and having a generally triangular cross section, pivot means mounted on said support and attached to one of the apexes of the triangle, fastening means for said auxiliary cords attached to another apex of the triangle and operating means for the lever and the auxiliary cords attached to the third apex of the triangle.

5. In a Venetian blind, a support, a plurality of vertically spaced slats, ladder tapes dependent from said sup-port and supporting said slats, tilting means for all of the slats, and auxiliary tilting cord means for a section of said slats, said auxiliary tilting means comprising cords attached to the ladder tapes, means for operating said auxiliary icords comprising a lever hinged at one of its sides to said support, means on said lever for operating said auxiliary cords, and a bracket extending from said lever and attached to an actuating cord for operating the lever and auxiliary cords, 7

- EDGAR GILL EWING.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 

